# Extending String call with a #copy!(n) **URL:** \ **Category:** Ruby\ **Created:** [August 15, 2006, 2:13pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/extending-string-call-with-a-copy-n/64652 "2006-08-15T14:13:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1

**Author:** ![unknown](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/u/4bbf92/32.png) [@unknown](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/unknown)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2006, 2:13pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/extending-string-call-with-a-copy-n/64652/1 "2006-08-15T14:13:03Z")

i’ve allready extendy String class by a #copy(n) like that : class String def copy(n) out="" (1…n).each {|i| out+=self} return out end end however i’d like to extend also String with a #copy!(n) (in place which would work like that : “\*”.copy!(4) # =\> “\*\*\*\*” the prob is to affect self ??? ---

Une bévue wrote: > however i’d like to extend also String with a #copy!(n) (in place which > would work like that : > > “\*”.copy!(4) > > # =\> “\*\*\*\*” > > the prob is to affect self ??? Use \<\< (or concat). ---

Alex Y. wrote: > > however i’d like to extend also String with a #copy!(n) (in place which > > would work like that : > > > > “\*”.copy!(4) > > > > # =\> “\*\*\*\*” > > > > the prob is to affect self ??? > > Use \<\< (or concat). or sub!. class String def copy!(n) self.sub!(self, self\*n) end end ---

Alex Y. wrote: > > Use \<\< (or concat). > > or sub!. replace would be more efficient: class String alias copy \* def copy!(n) replace(self\*n) end end ---

Daniel DeLorme wrote: > end > end Oh yes. So it would 🙂 ---

Daniel DeLorme [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > alias copy \* with is the reason for this line ??? ---

Une bévue wrote: > Daniel DeLorme [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > > > alias copy \* > > with is the reason for this line ??? Your copy method produces identical results to the String#\* method. For example: irb(main):001:0\> a = “foo” =\> “foo” irb(main):002:0\> a \* 3 =\> “foofoofoo” ---

**Author:** ![unknown](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/u/4bbf92/32.png) [@unknown](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/unknown)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2006, 2:14pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/extending-string-call-with-a-copy-n/64652/8 "2006-08-15T14:14:16Z")

Alex Y. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > Your copy method produces identical results to the String#\* method. For > example: > > irb(main):001:0\> a = “foo” > =\> “foo” > irb(main):002:0\> a \* 3 > =\> “foofoofoo” OK, fine, thanxs, i even didn’t notice the ruby facility upon String multiplication 😉 ---

Alex Y. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > Oh yes. So it would 🙂 thanxs to all !